IWGA Board

Birmingham welcomes visitors

The city of Birmingham, Alabama, is built in history and driven by innovation. In the early 1900s, Birmingham was the epicenter of industry in the southern United States and was home to booming iron and steel productions. The city’s rapid growth earned it the nickname “The Magic City.” Today, that history is woven through the fabric of Birmingham’s culture and continues to inspire its growth. As the most populated city in Alabama, Birmingham is home to a diverse population whose quest for innovation has created a unique blend of entertainment, cuisine, arts, and outdoors. Birmingham offers its visitors a Southern charm with the amenities and development of a metropolis.

Each month, as we draw closer to The World Games 2021 Birmingham, we’ll offer an inside look at everything Birmingham has to offer. This month, we’re highlighting visitor attractions throughout the city.

No matter where your interests lie, you can bet that Birmingham has something that’s right up your alley. Are you an animal lover? Don’t miss The Birmingham Zoo, with its rare all-male herd of African elephants. Just across the street from the zoo, you can explore 25 themed gardens at the beautiful Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The motorsports enthusiast in your family won’t want to miss the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, which features more than 1,200 of the country’s most stunning cars and motorcycles. The Birmingham Museum of Artholds a rich panorama of cultures, including Asian, European, African, Pre-Columbian and Native American. Highlights include the museum’s collection of Asian art, the collection of 18th century European decorative arts, and the museum’s world-renowned collection of Wedgwood. If science is your passion, visit the McWane Science Center, which includes four floors of interactive exhibits, from a walk with dinosaurs to the shark and ray petting tank. For a powerful walk through history, visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which features a series of galleries that tell the story of daily life for African-Americans in the state and nation from the late 1800s to the present. With so much to see and do, this is just the beginning – The Magic City has something for everyone!

The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 15-25 July 2021. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.